Phase change memory devices and systems, and related programming methods

• US 8,116,127 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2009
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Cho, Woo-Yeong, Lee, Kwang-Jin, Kim, Hye-Jin
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Pho M
• Application Number:
  US12/559,792
• Publication Number:
  US 20100008133A1
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 365/163, 365/158, 365/189.11, 365/171
• US Class Current: 365/163
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 13/0004 comprising amorphous/crystalline phase transition cells
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 13/0064 Verifying circuits or methods
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 13/0069 Writing or programming circuits or methods
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 2013/0076 Write operation performed depending on read result
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 2013/0078 Write using current through the cell
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 8/10 Decoders

Abstract

A method of writing data in a phase change memory includes receiving write data to be written to a selected phase change memory cell in the plurality of phase change memory cells, sensing data stored in the selected phase change memory cell, determining whether or not the sensed data is equal to the write data, and if the sensed data is not equal to the write data, iteratively applying a write current to the selected phase change memory cell, wherein a resistance state of the phase change memory cell is changed by heat corresponding to a level of the write current, and the level of the write current is changed between successive iterative applications.

Claims

1. A method of writing data in a phase change memory cell in a memory, the memory comprising a plurality of phase change memory cells, and the method comprising:

receiving write data to be written to a selected phase change memory cell in the plurality of phase change memory cells;

sensing data stored in the selected phase change memory cell;

determining whether or not the sensed data is equal to the write data; and

if the sensed data is not equal to the write data, iteratively applying a write current to the selected phase change memory cell, wherein a resistance state of the phase change memory cell is changed by heat corresponding to a level of the write current, and the level of the write current is changed between successive iterative applications.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the write current is increased between successive iterative applications.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the write current has a pulse waveform with a level that gradually increases in an up-staircase pattern over successive iterative applications.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the write current is decreased between successive iterative applications.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected phase change memory cell stores 1-bit data indicated by either a RESET state or a SET state.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected phase change memory cell stores multi-bit data indicated by a state selected from a group of states including a SET state and a plurality of RESET states.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the plurality of RESET states comprises a full RESET state and at least one intermediate RESET state defined between the full RESET state and the SET state.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one intermediate RESET state is defined between the full RESET state and the SET state to ensure a maximum read margin between respective ones of the plurality of RESET states and the SET state.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein each one of the SET state and the plurality of RESET states is characterized by a resistance distribution selected from a plurality of resistance distributions for the selected phase change memory cell.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein if the sensed data is equal to the write data, ending the writing of write data to the memory.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein iteratively applying the write current to the selected phase change memory cell comprises for each iterative application, sensing the data stored in the selected phase change memory cell by applying a verify current following the application of the write current to determine whether or not the sensed data is equal to the write data.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the verify current corresponds to one of a plurality of bias voltages applied to the selected phase change memory cell during a read operation.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the verify current is a RESET current when the write data has the RESET state and a SET current when the write data has the SET state.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the verify current is a SET current when the write data has the SET state, or one of a plurality of RESET currents when the write data has a corresponding one of the plurality of RESET states.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein each one of the plurality of phase change memory cells comprises a resistance-variable material exhibiting a SET state in which a number of amorphous nuclei having a defined size range are formed, or at least one RESET state in which amorphous nuclei are formed having at least one of;

a number greater than the number of amorphous nuclei in the SET state, and a size greater than the defined size range.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the write current is iteratively applied to the selected phase change memory cell over a sequence of time periods as a sequence of box-shaped program pulses.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

before sensing data stored in the selected phase change memory cell, applying at least one of a full SET write current pulse and a RESET write current pulse.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

before sensing data stored in the selected phase change memory cell, applying a RESET write current pulse.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the write data corresponds to the RESET state, and upon determining that the sensed data is equal to the RESET state, ending the writing of write data to the memory.

20. A memory device comprising:

a memory array comprising a plurality of phase change memory cells configured to store write data; and

a generator configured to generate a level-controlled write current and apply the level-controlled write current to the memory array to iteratively apply the level-controlled write current to a selected phase change memory cell in the plurality of phase change memory cells,

wherein the level-controlled write current is adjusted with each iterative application of the level-controlled write current, until a resistive state of the selected phase change memory cell falls within a defined resistance distribution corresponding to the write data.

21. The memory device of claim 20, wherein the level-controlled write current has a pulse waveform.

22. The memory device of claim 21, wherein the generator comprises a write pulse current selection circuit configured to select between at least a RESET write pulse current and a SET write pulse current on the basis of the write data.

23. The memory device of claim 21, wherein the pulse waveform has an up-staircase pattern over successive iterative applications.

24. The memory device of claim 20, wherein the memory array comprises a transistor configured to receive a high voltage provided by a high voltage generation circuit, be controlled by a bias voltage provided by the generator, and output the level-controlled write current in response to the high voltage and the bias voltage.

25. The memory device of claim 24, wherein the high voltage generation circuit comprises a charge pump.

26. The memory device of claim 24, wherein the level-controlled write current output by the transistor is applied to a data line connected to the selected phase change memory cell.

27. The memory device of claim 26, wherein the data line is a bit line.

28. A memory device comprising:

an array of phase change memory cells divided into a first memory block including a first selected memory cell and a second memory block including a second selected memory cell;

sensing and writing circuitry configured to simultaneously write the first and second selected memory cells with write data by iteratively applying a level-controlled write current to the first and second selected memory cells, and performing a verify-read operation on the first and second selected memory cells until respective programmed states for the first and second memory cells are equal to the write data.

29. The memory device of claim 28, wherein prior to the simultaneous writing of the first and second selected memory cells, each of the first and second memory blocks receives a fixed reference voltage.

30. The memory device of claim 29, wherein the fixed reference voltage is generated by a precharge circuit.

31. A method of writing data to a memory comprising a plurality phase change memory cells each storing N-bit data according to respectively corresponding N² resistance distributions, the method comprising:

receiving write data to be written to a selected phase change memory cell in the plurality of phase change memory cells;

applying a write current to the selected phase change memory cell, wherein the write current is defined in relation to the write data;

after applying the write current, sensing a resistive state of the selected phase change memory cell;

comparing the sensed resistive state of the selected phase change memory cell to a reference defined in relation to the write data; and

if the sensed resistive state fails comparison with the reference, adjusting the write current, and applying the adjusted write current to the selected phase change memory cell.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the adjusting of the write current and applying of the adjusted write current to the selected phase change memory cell further comprises:

sensing the resistive state of the selected phase change memory cell;

comparing the sensed resistive state of the selected phase change memory cell to the reference.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the adjusting of the write current and applying of the adjusted write current to the selected phase change memory cell continues iteratively until the sensed resistive state falls within one of the N² resistance distributions corresponding to the write data, as indicated by a successful comparison between the sense resistive state and the reference.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the adjusting of the write current and applying of the adjusted write current to the selected phase change memory cell continues iteratively until a maximum number of iterations is reached, whereupon the method of writing data to the memory ends.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein comparing the sensed resistive state of the selected phase change memory cell to a reference defined in relation to the write data comprises performing a read verify operation on the selected phase change memory cell.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the reference is a read verify voltage.

37. The method of claim 31, wherein adjusting the write current comprises increasing a level of the write current or decreasing the level of the write current.

38. The method of claim 31, wherein adjusting the write current and applying the reapplying the adjusted write current to the selected phase change memory cells causes a reduction in a width of at least one of the N² resistance distributions.

39. The method of claim 31, wherein applying the write current to the selected phase change memory cell results in over programming of the selected phase change memory cell to an elevated resistance distribution, and applying the adjusted write voltage reduces the elevated resistance distribution to one of the N² resistance distributions corresponding to the write data.